This invention relates to an improvement in the use and mounting of a foot pedal-operated exercise machine in which two side-by-side pedal units are arranged to rotate in a vertical plane that is parallel to another vertical plane that passes through the user's bilateral axis. Furthermore, this invention relates to structural modifications and mounting arrangements of the pedals to provide a pedal-motivated exercise device, that utilizes side-by-side rotation with an additional component of front-to-back rotation of traditional bicycle-style exercise machines.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,638 (“Snyderman '638”) and US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0357454 (“Snyderman '454”), each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, disclose exercise devices that provide resistance when a user moves foot pedals in a side-to-side circular path. In these devices, the pedals are mounted perpendicular to a support or frame that is itself positioned vertically. That is, the frame defines a plane oriented at 90° to the horizontal, usually a floor or other support surface, and the pedals are mounted in a position parallel to the horizontal at 90° to the frame. The plane through which the pedals move in a circular path is parallel to that of the frame and perpendicular to a horizontal plane. As the user moves the pedals, resistance is provided to the user's leg abductor muscles as the pedals move laterally, away from the midpoint of the user's body, and to the user's leg adductor muscles as the pedals move medially, toward the midpoint of the user's body. During proper use of these devices, forward and backward motion of the feet and legs is almost non-existent.
This pedal movement is useful for individuals wishing to exercise particular leg muscles in this fashion. This type of exercise can be especially useful for skaters, skiers, and other athletes desiring to exercise particular muscle groups that might not otherwise be strengthened by exercising on traditional exercise devices that provide resistance to muscles involved in forward and backward motion of the feet and legs. As experience has been gained with the Snyderman exercise devices, however, it has become clear that a certain threshold fitness level is required for their use. Not everyone who could benefit from the lateral exercise has the initial strength or endurance in the abductor and adductor muscles to execute and maintain the necessary lateral motion long enough for benefit to accrue.
While the benefits of lateral motion resistance exercise has been recognized in recent years, there remain challenges in bringing these benefits to the public at large.